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RHYTHM: This Seat Taken? – Psalm 1

Monday before Proper 4: Psalm 1

Reading: Psalm 1

This Seat Taken?

The seat of scoffers. This always made me think of the armchair quarterback, barking ideas at a deaf screen. Really, anyone who would offer unsolicited or generally negative advice. The backseat driver. Other hack golfers trying to tell you precisely what’s wrong with your obviously hack golf swing. Sedentary also connotes stationary—if you’re not moving, you’re not really offering anything to follow.

Once on your feet, though, you’ve still got a choice to make—not taking the path that sinners tread. This decision is not as obvious as it might sound. While we’re on this earth, we’re all moving in more or less the same direction. Sure, the church has long had an uneasy relationship with culture, especially when focusing on countering it instead of creating it. I think it comes down to what you’re carrying with you: is your delight in the law of the Lord? Are you meditating on it?

We can stumble-start at trying to be Christ-like, trying to amend our ways. Or we can center ourselves in God, and let our lives be the natural outflow of that centering process. But to do that, we must have the patience to let living our lives be the result and not the goal.

For reflection:

When you begin a new hobby, do you beat yourself to death about not being great at it right away?

What’s a more natural approach to any new pursuit?

How can you apply that to your spiritual life?

RHYTHM is a daily lectionary devotion series in development by Youthworker Circuit. YWC members also receive weekly curriculum sessions for Sunday’s readings. To subscribe to Youthworker Circuit, click here. If you’re new to us, you might like to know more about RHYTHM. You’re also welcome to check out more of our devotions, or come visit us on Facebook!